---
title: "Server Configuration: external scripts enabled"
description: Learn about the external scripts enabled option in SQL Server. After turning it on, you can execute external scripts in supported languages such as R or Python.
author: MikeRayMSFT
ms.author: mikeray
ms.reviewer: randolphwest
ms.date: 08/26/2025
ms.service: sql
ms.subservice: machine-learning-services
ms.topic: reference
f1_keywords:
  - "external scripts enabled"
  - "external_scripts_enabled_TSQL"
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "external scripts enabled option"
monikerRange: ">=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-ver15 || =azuresqldb-mi-current"
---
# Server configuration: external scripts enabled

[!INCLUDE [sqlserver2016-asdbmi](../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver2016-asdbmi.md)]

Use the `external scripts enabled` option to enable the execution of scripts with certain remote language extensions. This property is `OFF` by default. When **Machine Learning Services** is installed, setup can optionally set this property to true.

## Remarks

You must enable the external script enabled option before you can execute an external script using the [sp_execute_external_script](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-execute-external-script-transact-sql.md) procedure. Use `sp_execute_external_script` to execute scripts written in a supported language such as R or Python.

- For [!INCLUDE [sssql16-md](../../includes/sssql16-md.md)]

  [!INCLUDE [rsql_productname](../../includes/rsql-productname-md.md)] includes support for the R language in [!INCLUDE [sssql16-md](../../includes/sssql16-md.md)], and a set of R workstation tools and connectivity libraries.

  Install the **R Services** feature during [!INCLUDE [ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] setup to enable the execution of R scripts.

- For [!INCLUDE [sssql17-md](../../includes/sssql17-md.md)] and later

  [!INCLUDE [rsql-productnamenew-md](../../includes/rsql-productnamenew-md.md)] has support for both the R and Python languages.

  Install the **Machine Learning Services** feature during [!INCLUDE [ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] setup to enable the execution of external scripts. Be sure to select at least one language during initial setup: either R or Python, or both.

- For [!INCLUDE [sssql19-md](../../includes/sssql19-md.md)] and later [!INCLUDE [rsql-productnamenew-md](../../includes/rsql-productnamenew-md.md)] has support for all R, Python, Java and other third party languages.

Install the Machine Learning Services and Language Extensions feature during [!INCLUDE [ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] setup to enable the execution of external scripts for any supported language.

## Additional requirements

After setup, to enable external scripts, execute the following script:

```sql
EXECUTE sp_configure 'external scripts enabled', 1;
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE;
```

For more information, see [Install SQL Server Machine Learning Services (Python and R) on Windows](../../machine-learning/install/sql-machine-learning-services-windows-install.md) or [Linux](../../linux/sql-server-linux-setup-machine-learning-docker.md?toc=/sql/machine-learning/toc.json).

## Related content

- [sp_configure](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md)
- [RECONFIGURE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/language-elements/reconfigure-transact-sql.md)
- [sp_execute_external_script](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-execute-external-script-transact-sql.md)
- [SQL machine learning documentation](../../machine-learning/index.yml)